Ironing machine



June 30, 1953 B. L. 'GJNEWNHAM ,6 3 73 1 IRONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20,1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN van/r0 R J1me 1953 B. G. NEWNHAM IRONINGMACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1950 MQN 5M Q, v 7

June 30, 1953 B La. NEWNHAM IRONING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb.20, 1950 Patented June 30,. 1953 IRONING MACHINE Bernard Leslie GeorgeNewnham, North Walsham, England Application February 20, 1950, SerialNo. 145,136 In Great Britain February 22, 1949 9 Claims.

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to ironing machinesof the well-known type comprising the combination of a heated bed, asuperposed conveyor belt system for moving the clothes over the bed, andone or more ironing rollers bearing on the bed. The bed is commonlyshaped to serpentine form, with the ironing rollers riding in a seriesof parallel furrows set across the path along which the clothes travelover the bed.

Up to the present it has been the practise to employ a conveyor beltsystem consisting of an assembly of endless tapes which run over the bedunder the rollers. Such an arrangement has several disadvantages. Thetapes have a very short life, of but one week or so; and, moreover, theyare very liable to break. In replacing such tapes they must be threadedunder the ironing rollers, over the end guide rollers, and then sewntogether at their ends, and during this operation the machine andoperators remain idle.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconveyor means for passing the clothes or other articles over the bedduring the ironing process so as to obviate the use of endless tapesand'to provide a more efiicient operation of the machine.

According to one feature of the present invention an ironing machine ofthe type described is provided with a conveyor means for passing clothesor other articles to be ironed over the machine bed under the ironingrollers from one end of the machineto the other comprising an endlessband having a width substantially equal to the Width of the ironingrollers, substantially parallel rollers between which the band isstretched taut and which are disposed parallel with the ironing rollersand adjacent the ends of the machine, the upper run of band extending inan elevated position over the ironing rollers and the lower run of theband passing under the ironing rollers and over the machine bed, incombination with means for effecting a continuous drying of the upperrun of the band during the ironing operation so that the lower run ofthe band is substantially dry when it enters the machine for its passover the bed.

In the preferred construction, the band-drying means includes a shieldpositioned immediately below the upper run of the band for shieldingthis run or a substantial part of it against moisture-laden steam risingfrom the bed during the ironing operation, and the shield is made from amaterial and to a formsuch that it is capable of absorbing heat risingfrom 2 the bed and radiating heat to the upper run of the band fordrying it. The shield may be in the form of metal sheeting, preferablyin the form of corrugated sheet, since this is more readily resistant tobuckling by heat.

With a wide band there is a tendency for it to shift laterally, andfurther features relate to means for tensioning the band and preventinglateral wandering thereof.

Several constructions in accordance with the present invention areillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a conveyor attachment mounted on anironing machine, the conveyor band being removed;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a conveyor attachmentand. of a portion of the ironing machine shown diagrammatically.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the conveyorband and of one of the end rollers incorporating means for guiding theband and preventing lateral movement thereof;

Figure 4 is an end view looking towards the left of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary end views illustrating two other meansfor preventing lateral movement of the conveyor band, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of a crowned end roller for preventing lateralmovement of the conveyor band.

The ironing machine to which the conveyor is fitted is of any suitabletype. In the conventional machine shown diagrammatically in Figure 2there is a steam-heated bed 10 of serpentine form, in whose furrows Hride ironing rollers l2 carried by shafts l3. Instead of the normalassembly of endless tapes for conveying the clothes or other articlesover the bed l0, there is provided a single endless band I4 whose lowerrun passes under the ironing rollers l2 and over the bed forsubstantially the full width of the bed. This band runs over and isstretched between two end guide rollers l5, l6 which are fitted inparallel across the ends of a frame incorporating side members l1, l8 ofchannel section. The frame members ll, l8 are rigidly secured to themachine frame l9 by means of posts or brackets 20.

Each of the end rollers l5, I6 is carried at its ends in bearings 22fitted to brackets 23 moun ed between collars 24, 25 on rods 26projecting outwardly beyond the frame members I1, I 8. The collars areaxially adjustable along the rods 26 and are fixed in position byset-screws 21. Each rod is supported by two spaced bearings 28, 29fitted within the channel of the adjacent frame member. The innerbearings 29 are of the selfcentering type and are internally threaded toreceive the inner threaded ends 30 of the rods 26. On the outer end ofeach rod 26 is fitted a hand-wheel 3|.

The tension of the band I4 is adjusted by turning the hand-wheels 3| soas to screw the rods 26 in and out of their bearings and thereby shiftthe end rollers l5, iii. of the hand-wheel, so as to adjust the relativeangular position of the end rollers l5, l6, it is possible to preventany appreciable lateral wandering of the band, at least over prolongedperiods, without need for any form of guides fo the margins of the band.

As an additional safeguard for preventing lateral wandering of theconveyor band, the two longitudinal margins of the band may be fitted,as shown in Figures 3 and 4, with flexible Ve belts 32 which ride inguide pulleys 33 carried at the ends of each roller [5, 16. The beltsmay be of reinforced rubber capable of resisting the steam and heatrising from the bed of the ironing machine.

In another means for preventing lateral wandering of the band shown inFigure 6, the upper run of the band above the ironing rollers is engagedbetween one or more pairs of locating rollers 34, 35 and one roller 35of each pair is fitted at its ends with flanges 36 which overlap theedges of the band I2 and the adjacent roller 34. These flanges thus actas stops for the edges of the band so as to locate the bandtransversely.

In the further means shown in Figure 5, stop flanges 31 for the band arefitted on the ends of each end ironing roller [2 to overlap the bed ofthe machine ll].

In another means for preventing lateral wandering of the band, the twoend rollers l5, iii of the band conveyor may be crowned as shown inFigure 7.

Any of these means for preventing lateral movement of the band may beused singly or in combination.

Spanning the two side frame members I1, l8 are two horizontal shields ortrays 40. The number of such trays is chosen in accordance with the sizeof the machine and to facilitate manufacture and handling. Each shieldis made as a rectangular unit in plan preferably of aluminium oraluminium alloy, having down-turned flanges 4| at its four sides. Theside flanges of the shields are detachably secured by angle brackets 42bolted to the frame members I1, I8.

The bodies 43 of the shields are formed of corrugated sheet metal; andthey are positioned just below the under-surface of the upper run of theband. In this way substantially all the upper run of the band isshielded from the machine bed. At the inner end of one shield is aseries of brackets 44 secured to the adjacent side flange 4|. Thesebrackets serve as a support for the axle 45 of a multi-section roller46. The roller 45 is positioned a little above the level of the severalshields centrally of the machine so as to act as a support for the upperrun of the band l4.

The three-roller ironing machine shown in Figures 1 and 2 iscomparatively short, and in longer machines it is usually desirable toprovide several such rollers 46 equally spaced between the end rollersI5, Hi, there being then a corresponding increased number of shields 40.

By a careful adjustment that it is necessary to pass the clothes orother During the ironing process the conveyor band i4 is caused to moveautomatically over the end rollers by reason of the movement imparted bythe rotating ironing rollers I2.

The clothes or other articles being ironed pass over the bed under thelower run of the band. The band thus conserves heat by its acting as ajacket to prevent dissipation of heat from the machine bed. Furthermorethe band also acts as an ironing machine in conjunction with the ironingrollers l2. It has been found as a result articles only once through themachine instead of twice as is common. In consequence the output of themachine is considerably increased. The shields 40 serve the dualfunction of protecting the upper run of the conveyor band 14 againstmoisture rising from the heated bed, and the absorbing of heat risingfrom the bed and transmitting it to the upper run of the band. In thisway the shield acts to dry the band of moisture taken up as it passesover the bed during the ironing process. The band is thus rendered dry,or even heated by the time it again reaches the position for passingunder the ironing rollers.

A very suitable material for the band is cotton duck. A stout felt orasbestos blanket material may also be used for the band. In this casethe necessity for the usual cotton sheeting covers for the ironingrollers is avoided.

I claim:

1. A laundry ironing machine comprising a heated bed of serpentine form,parallel ironing rollers mounted to ride in the furrows of the bed, anendless band of water-absorbent material and of substantially the samewidth as the ironing rollers for conveying articles to be ironed overthe bed under the rollers, guide rollers for the endless band mountedadjacent the ends of the bed parallel to the ironing rollers, saidendless band having a lower run passing over the bed under the ironingrollers and an upper run stretched over the guide rollers above theironing rollers, and a heater device adjacent the upper run of the bandfor effecting a continuous drying of that run during the ironingoperation whereby the band is substantially dry when it enters themachine for its passage over the bed.

2. A laundry ironing machine comprising a steam-heated bed of serpentineform, parallel ironing rollers mounted to ride in the furrows of thebed, an endless band of water-absorbent material and of substantiallythe same width as the ironing rollers for conveying articles to beironed over the bed under the ironing rollers, guide rollers for theendless band mounted adjacent the ends of the bed parallel to theironing rollers, said endless band having a lower run passing over thebed under the rollers and an upper run stretched over the guide rollersabove the ironing rollers, and a heater device disposed under andclosely adjacent the upper run of the band for effecting a continuousdrying of that run, said heater device being of such form and size toact also as a shield for the upper run of band against moisture-ladensteam rising from the bed.

3. A laundry ironing machine comprising a steam-heated bed of serpentineform, parallel ironing rollers mounted to ride in the furrows of thebed, an endless band of water-absorbent material and of substantiallythe same width as the ironing rollers for conveying articles to beironed over the bed under the ironing rollers, guide rollers for theendless band mounted adjacent the ends of the bed parallel to theironing 5 rollers, said endless band having a lower run passing over thebed under the rollers and an upper run stretched. over the guide rollersabove the ironing rollers, and metal sheeting disposed under and closelyadjacent substantially all the upper run of the band above the ironingrollers, the sheeting acting as a shield for protecting the upper run ofthe band against moisture-laden steam rising from the bed and also beingmade of heat-conductive metal whereby the sheeting acts as a heater byreceiving at its undersurface heat rising from the bed and radiating theheat from its top surface to the superposed run of band for drying thatrun.

4. An ironing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the metal sheetingis corrugated.

5. An ironing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the metal sheetingis provided with gaps transverse to the band, and wherein roller meansare provided in the gaps for supporting the upper run of the band.

6. An ironing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein there is providedmeans for preventing lateral wandering of the conveyor band on the guiderollers comprising V-section belts carried by the longitudinal marginsof the conveyor band and guide pulleys carried at the ends of the guiderollers for receiving the said V-section belts.

'7. An ironing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein there is providedmeans for preventing lateral wandering of the conveyor band on the guiderollers comprising flanges at the ends of the ironing rollers, saidflanges being adapted to overlap the machine bed so as to act as stopsfor the marginal edges of the conveyor band.

8. An ironing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guide rollersare of crowned formation for preventing lateral wandering of theconveyor band on the guide rollers.

9. An ironing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein there is providedmeans for preventing lateral wandering of the conveyor band on the guiderollers comprising at least one pair of transverse locating rollersbetween which the con veyor band passes, flanges being provided at theends of the locating rollers so as to overlap the gaps between theserollers at their ends and thereby act as stops for the marginal edges ofthe conveyor band.

BERNARD LESLIE GEORGE NEWNHAM'.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,575,366 Johnson Mar. 2, 1926 1,692,832 Harrison Nov. 27,1928 2,169,672 West Aug. 15, 1939 2,325,475 Clark July 2'7, 1943

